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to avoid tax hike and spending cuts from taking effect. lisa desjardins is live on capitol hill. what's going on right now? >> reporter: right now it's all behind closed doors, martin. what we just have learned in the last hour, in fact, what reporters have seen here, a surprise. house speaker john boehner was here at the capitol. we're still trying to sort out exactly why he was here, but he wasn't here for very long, it seems. he left in the last hour. also, we were able to see some of senator mcconnell's staffers. i was able to speak to one of them coming in and out of these kind of closed-door planning meetings. he said they've been here since 9:00 a.m. they plan to work all day and we may see his boss, senator mcconnell, later today. that shows us kind of where things stand. i wanted to break this down simply because there's so much that complicates the story. let's look really quickly at a graphic of the basics, what's happening right now. here's where we stand with the fiscal cliff. first of all, who's doing the negotiating? ice the
to avoid tax hike and spending cuts from taking effect. lisa desjardins is live on capitol hill. what's going on right now? >> reporter: right now it's all behind closed doors, martin. what we just have learned in the last hour, in fact, what reporters have seen here, a surprise. house speaker john boehner was here at the capitol. we're still trying to sort out exactly why he was here, but he wasn't here for very long, it seems. he left in the last hour. also, we were able to see some of...
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so president obama agreed to extend the tax cuts for two more years in exchange for congress extending federal emergency unemployment benefits. those cuts are expensive. if they're extended by 2020, the bush-era tax cuts will be responsible for more than half the total national debt. democrats insist that taxes go up for the wealthy but stay in place permanently for those earning less than $250,000 a year. >> we need to stop the job killing tax hikes, and we need to start cutting spending now. >> republicans refuse to play ball. they say no higher rates on the rich, no tax hikes on anyone. based on an ideology that calls for government to be as small as possible. the roots are as old as american politics, but today the philosophy's main spokesman is this man. grover norquist, president of americans for tax reform. norquist's pledge signed by almost all republicans in congress forbid signatories from raising taxes ever under any circumstances. things come to a head in the summer of 2011, republicans demand the government reduce the deficit as a condition for raising the nation's debt ce
so president obama agreed to extend the tax cuts for two more years in exchange for congress extending federal emergency unemployment benefits. those cuts are expensive. if they're extended by 2020, the bush-era tax cuts will be responsible for more than half the total national debt. democrats insist that taxes go up for the wealthy but stay in place permanently for those earning less than $250,000 a year. >> we need to stop the job killing tax hikes, and we need to start cutting spending...
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Dec 24, 2012
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and the third part is $1 trillion in obama's taxes. that's the obama care taxes they hid from you because they're all scheduled to come in after he got safely elected. >> let's go back to the bush-era tax cuts. for you, given your position, that's really what we want to focus on here. you make the point that democrats could have voted before when they had super majorities or big majoritiemajo and that's a fair point. but in part thanks to you, voting for tax increases is a political death for republicans and democrats. that brings me to my next question. i've talked to republicans and democrats who think we are going to go off the cliff, and here's the reason why. if we go off the cliff, everybody's taxes go up automatically. then congress can come back in january and vote for a tax cut as opposed to tax increases. what do you think about that? >> one of the challenges, of course, is people see this happening. they realize the president has not been negotiating at all over the past three months. we learned days and weeks and months aft
and the third part is $1 trillion in obama's taxes. that's the obama care taxes they hid from you because they're all scheduled to come in after he got safely elected. >> let's go back to the bush-era tax cuts. for you, given your position, that's really what we want to focus on here. you make the point that democrats could have voted before when they had super majorities or big majoritiemajo and that's a fair point. but in part thanks to you, voting for tax increases is a political death...
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that's an extra $900 before taxes. currently members of congress make $174,000 a year except for leaders who make a little more. the last time there was a pay raise was 2009. >>> there is one thing the senate has agreed on, getting aid to victims of superstorm sandy. by a 61-33 vote the chamber passed a measure offering $60 billion in help. it heads to the house which must approve the bill by thursday or else the process to consider the money has to start all over again. at least 113 people were killed when superstorm sandy hit in late october. the governors of new york and new jersey, the hardest hit states, have estimated damages at more than $78 billion. >>> and turning to weather. even though winter is just over a week old, millions of americans probably can't wait for spring to arrive. me, as well, yes. scenes like this in maine are playing out all across the country as snow is now on the ground in almost 65% of the lower 48 states. at least everybody's enjoying it together. look at this video from arkansas where
that's an extra $900 before taxes. currently members of congress make $174,000 a year except for leaders who make a little more. the last time there was a pay raise was 2009. >>> there is one thing the senate has agreed on, getting aid to victims of superstorm sandy. by a 61-33 vote the chamber passed a measure offering $60 billion in help. it heads to the house which must approve the bill by thursday or else the process to consider the money has to start all over again. at least 113...
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Dec 31, 2012
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cuts put in place by president obama about two years ago to boost the economy. so what does it mean to your wallet? here is how much less you'll bring home if it does expire. paychecks shrink $50 a month for those earning $30,000 a year. it shrinks $83 a month for those earning $50,000 a year. and $167 a month for those earning $100,000 a year or more. now, let's switch to the fiscal cliff. what that could cost you if that so-called deal in sight doesn't get done. without the deal, the potential impact, say you're single, you work hard, okay, here is what you can expect. you don't have kids. you earn about $80,000 a year. think about what you pay now. guess what, you'll pay an attentional $3,000, that's right, $3,000 more in taxes next year. if you're married with kids, yeah, doesn't get any better. the middle class families get hit hard. if you have two kids, both parents work together, you earn $80,000, well, if we do go over the cliff, you will owe almost $6,000 more in taxes next year and that is why it is so important that a deal gets done. with so much unc
cuts put in place by president obama about two years ago to boost the economy. so what does it mean to your wallet? here is how much less you'll bring home if it does expire. paychecks shrink $50 a month for those earning $30,000 a year. it shrinks $83 a month for those earning $50,000 a year. and $167 a month for those earning $100,000 a year or more. now, let's switch to the fiscal cliff. what that could cost you if that so-called deal in sight doesn't get done. without the deal, the...
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Dec 28, 2012
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, instead just voting to reinstate a tax cut, that then it sort of president obama's tax cut so he gets credit for that. >> do you have any sense of what will happen around that table today? who called the meeting if there's an agenda or are they going to sit around and stare at each other until one of them blinks? >> we don't have a sense. i'm sure that we will be getting a sense. this is supposed to take place at 3:00 p.m. at the white house. the vice president, president and four top congressional leaders. we don't know what will be said. i think we will likely hear from some camps afterwards. >> if you are wondering what a trip down the fiscal cliff might mean for your paycheck, for your 401(k), look no further than yesterday's dow. at the opening bell, a dive of more than 1%. investors finding little hope for the fiscal cliff compromise on capitol hill. when word came down two sides might be meeting. reversal of fortune. the dow rebounding for a while before finishing slightly lower. >>> a nation this morning remembering the american general credited with orchestrating one of the m
, instead just voting to reinstate a tax cut, that then it sort of president obama's tax cut so he gets credit for that. >> do you have any sense of what will happen around that table today? who called the meeting if there's an agenda or are they going to sit around and stare at each other until one of them blinks? >> we don't have a sense. i'm sure that we will be getting a sense. this is supposed to take place at 3:00 p.m. at the white house. the vice president, president and four...
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the alternative minimum tax expands to 27 million more americans and obama care taxes hit, meaning a 0.9% jump in the medicare payroll tax for those earning $200,000 or more. but what about the house of representatives? they left town after republicans failed to bring a vote on their own plan b last week. ohio republican congressman steve latourette seems kpas rat -- kpas rated about all of this. you're on your way out and you repudiated the norquist pledge which you signed back in 1994. tell me why? >> well, i repudiated it because, listen, it's not 1994 anymore. the world has moved on. we have the euro, we've had september 11th, a lot of things have happened. and quite frankly, this calls for a big solution. it calls for a solution that nobody yet has proposed seriously and that is everything needs to be on the table. that means revenues, it means spending cuts, it means entitlement reform. until somebody actually acts on what everybody in this town knows what needs to be done, this is going to be a huge problem. >> we are dangerously close to the fiscal cliff. now, in all fairness
the alternative minimum tax expands to 27 million more americans and obama care taxes hit, meaning a 0.9% jump in the medicare payroll tax for those earning $200,000 or more. but what about the house of representatives? they left town after republicans failed to bring a vote on their own plan b last week. ohio republican congressman steve latourette seems kpas rat -- kpas rated about all of this. you're on your way out and you repudiated the norquist pledge which you signed back in 1994. tell...
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president obama outlined that yesterday. these tax hikes are not enough for him. that he's going to go after more tax hikes. it's going to be the same discussion. the fact is we're just ceding more and more ground and more and more jobs, by the way, that young people need. so that's one of the things where i think house republicans get it, where at least i mean the majority of our caucus gets it where we're going to stand up against this plan because it's bad for young people, bad for our future, it's bad for the rest of america too. there was a great article in "the washington times" yesterday about why this plan and why plans like this are going to absolutely hurt and bankrupt our generation. i think there's at least a core group of republicans who are actually going to defend that and try to get a real solution done. something that addresses entitlement reform, that doesn't just tax people. this is a tax bill. this just raises taxes. and that's all it's doing. and the fact of the matter is grover norquist, this just shows how little power grover has. grover is
president obama outlined that yesterday. these tax hikes are not enough for him. that he's going to go after more tax hikes. it's going to be the same discussion. the fact is we're just ceding more and more ground and more and more jobs, by the way, that young people need. so that's one of the things where i think house republicans get it, where at least i mean the majority of our caucus gets it where we're going to stand up against this plan because it's bad for young people, bad for our...
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so president obama agreed to extend the tax cuts for two more years in exchange for congress extending federal emergency unemployment benefits. those cuts are expensive. if they are extended by 2020, the bush era tax cuts will be responsible for more than half the total national debt. democrats insist that taxes go up for the wealthy but stay in place permanently for those earning less than $250,000 a year. >> we need to stop the job killing tax sites and stop spending now. >> republicans refused to play ball. they say no higher rates on the rich, no tax hikes on anyone. based on an ideology that calls for government to be as small as possible. its roots are as old as american politics but today the philosophy's main spokesman is this man. grover norquist. president of american's for tax reform. norquist's pledge signed by almost all republicans by congress forbids raising taxes ever under any circumstances. things come to a head in the summer of 2011. republicans demand that the government reduce its deficit as a condition for raising the debt ceiling. both democrats and republicans e
so president obama agreed to extend the tax cuts for two more years in exchange for congress extending federal emergency unemployment benefits. those cuts are expensive. if they are extended by 2020, the bush era tax cuts will be responsible for more than half the total national debt. democrats insist that taxes go up for the wealthy but stay in place permanently for those earning less than $250,000 a year. >> we need to stop the job killing tax sites and stop spending now. >>...
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so president obama agreed to extend the tax cuts for two more years in exchange for congress extending federal emergency unemployment benefits. those cuts are expensive. if they're extended, by 2020, the bush-era tax cuts will be responsible for more than half the total national debt. democrats insist that taxes go up for the wealthy but stay in place permanently for those earning less than $250,000 a year. >> we need to stop the job-killing tax hikes, and we need to start cutting spending now. >> reporter: republicans refuse to play ball. they say no higher rates on the rich, no tax hikes on anyone. based on an ideology that calls for government to be as small as possible. now, its roots are as old as american politics. but today the philosophy's main spokesman is this man, grover norquist. president of americans for tax reform. norquist's pledge, signed by almost all republicans in congress, forbids signatories from raising taxes ever, under any circumstances. things come to a head in the summer of 2011. republicans demand the government reduce its deficit as a condition for raising
so president obama agreed to extend the tax cuts for two more years in exchange for congress extending federal emergency unemployment benefits. those cuts are expensive. if they're extended, by 2020, the bush-era tax cuts will be responsible for more than half the total national debt. democrats insist that taxes go up for the wealthy but stay in place permanently for those earning less than $250,000 a year. >> we need to stop the job-killing tax hikes, and we need to start cutting...
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and house are convening while senate negotiators work at a plan to prevent massive spending cuts and tax hikes from kicking in january 1st. president obama appeared today on nbc's "meet the press" and said the cuts in spending need to be fairly distributed. >> what i'm not willing to do is to have the entire burden of deficit reduction rest on the shoulders of seniors making students pay a higher student loan rates, ruining our capacity to invest in things like basic research that help our economy grow. >> in news overseas the bodies of the dead are being carried away in syria today. at least 397 people were killed saturday. that is the deadliest day so far in the 21-month long civil war. another 52 died today. the joint u.n. arab league envoy said the situation is rapidly deteriorating but that a solution is still possible. >>> in massachusetts boston's mayor lifted a snow emergency a little earlier today. more than a foot of snow fell on several towns across that state overnight. crews are clearing tons of snow in the gillette stadium now preparing for the patriots/dolphins game this a
and house are convening while senate negotiators work at a plan to prevent massive spending cuts and tax hikes from kicking in january 1st. president obama appeared today on nbc's "meet the press" and said the cuts in spending need to be fairly distributed. >> what i'm not willing to do is to have the entire burden of deficit reduction rest on the shoulders of seniors making students pay a higher student loan rates, ruining our capacity to invest in things like basic research...
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class tax rates. brianna keilar joins us live from hawaii. what do we think will happen as the holiday week rolls out? >> reporter: well, and don, we should probably say where our senate majority leader harry reid and senator mcconnell, the republican leader in the senate, because now all eyes turn to the senate. they're set to come back to town on the 27th. that is thursday. and at this point there are a number of options for some sort of bill that senate majority leader harry reid could put on the floor, but right now it appears democrats in the white house are pushing for something that still concentrates on making sure that income tax rates for those making a quarter million dollars or less don't go up. that said, it's really hard to see how at that rate senator mcconnell might allow some republican senators to support it or that some republican senators would even want to jump on board with that and even harder to see how a bill like that is something that house speaker john boehner would allow t
class tax rates. brianna keilar joins us live from hawaii. what do we think will happen as the holiday week rolls out? >> reporter: well, and don, we should probably say where our senate majority leader harry reid and senator mcconnell, the republican leader in the senate, because now all eyes turn to the senate. they're set to come back to town on the 27th. that is thursday. and at this point there are a number of options for some sort of bill that senate majority leader harry reid could...
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at least extend middle class tax cuts and unemployment benefits if no fiscal deal is reached. tax hike increase take effect january 1st. >>> the situation in the war-torn country is getting worse by the day. this weekend is proving him right. opposition activists say at least 397 people were killed across syria yesterday alone. if true, the deadliest day yet in almost two years in the civil war. the opizatiposition says more t 200 killed following a battle. >>> new england is getting a heavy dose of snow and freezing temperatures. boston is expected to get up to eight inches and the city's mayor has declared a snow emergency. neighboring rhode island is also getting pounded over a foot of snow has already fallen in some parts of that state. >>> some good news this morning about former president george h.w. bush. we're told he is improving and has been moved out of the intensive care unit of the houston hospital where he was being treated for an elevated fever. the 41st president has been in the hospital for more than a month now. >>> those are your headlines. "reliable sources
at least extend middle class tax cuts and unemployment benefits if no fiscal deal is reached. tax hike increase take effect january 1st. >>> the situation in the war-torn country is getting worse by the day. this weekend is proving him right. opposition activists say at least 397 people were killed across syria yesterday alone. if true, the deadliest day yet in almost two years in the civil war. the opizatiposition says more t 200 killed following a battle. >>> new england is...
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obama care, a bulk of those taxes kicked in. i don't want to hire number 51, employee number 51 because of obama care kicking in. in a normal world that would happen, but with obama care, i would say we'll see what happens. >> employer 51 is actually an issue, you and i agree on. let me ask you about the bill. what -- from what you have seen of it so far, yes vote or no vote? >> i'm a no vote, but until we see the details, we're reading reports, i will say most folks might resume a member of congress has those details. we're reading media reports, nothing on websites out there. it locks like a no. looks like typical insider deal for washington, d.c., where they getly 89 votes in the senate, but at the end of the day, our debt will get bigger, spending will go up. taxes will increase, and americans will continue to be very upset at washington. >> some sense -- i've been asking colleagues this morning. you have sense if you get past the tax stuff, the politicized part of the discussion, you can correct some attention to spending a
obama care, a bulk of those taxes kicked in. i don't want to hire number 51, employee number 51 because of obama care kicking in. in a normal world that would happen, but with obama care, i would say we'll see what happens. >> employer 51 is actually an issue, you and i agree on. let me ask you about the bill. what -- from what you have seen of it so far, yes vote or no vote? >> i'm a no vote, but until we see the details, we're reading reports, i will say most folks might resume a...
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a fiscal cliff compromise with republicans or will your taxes go up? on that note, good morning. i'm drew griffin. >> the question everyone wants answered. good morning, everybody, glad you're with us. i'm alina cho. soledad is off this morning. it's wednesday, december 26th. "starting point" begins right now. 8:00 in the east, our starting point a christmas to forget for millions of americans in the south and midwest, battling blizzard conditions and tornadoes. >> oh, my god, we need to go. it's right there. >> mobile, alabama, took a real beating overnight, a twister blowing transformers, and there are reports of extensive damage to homes, a high school, and a church. 200,000 people across the south are without power this morning. >> it came in behind the church right there, and then all green floors reent lighting and it was like popping transformers left and right and heard the crash and everything and the power went out. >> i prayed to god as loud as i could and i was just praying for my safety, and i knew the truck was shaking. i just prayed that
a fiscal cliff compromise with republicans or will your taxes go up? on that note, good morning. i'm drew griffin. >> the question everyone wants answered. good morning, everybody, glad you're with us. i'm alina cho. soledad is off this morning. it's wednesday, december 26th. "starting point" begins right now. 8:00 in the east, our starting point a christmas to forget for millions of americans in the south and midwest, battling blizzard conditions and tornadoes. >> oh, my...
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president obama is now scheduled to make a statement about the negotiations. that's going to take place about 1:30 or so, in less than 30 minutes. we'll bring it to you live at the white house as soon as it happens. we want to talk about what is going on behind the scenes. you have negotiations led by the vice president and senate minority leader mitch mcconnell. sources are telling us they are making some progress, but here's the catch. if a deal is reached, there is no guarantee it's going to pass. here's what democratic senator tom harkin said on the senate floor earlier this morning. >> if we're going to have some kind of a deal, the deal must be one that really does favor the middle class. the real middle class. those that are making 30,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000 a year. that's the real middle class in america. and as i see this thing developing, quite frankly, as i've said before, no deal is better than a bad deal, and this looks like a very bad deal the way it's he shaping up. >> we cover it from all angles. we have dana bash on capitol hill and jessic
president obama is now scheduled to make a statement about the negotiations. that's going to take place about 1:30 or so, in less than 30 minutes. we'll bring it to you live at the white house as soon as it happens. we want to talk about what is going on behind the scenes. you have negotiations led by the vice president and senate minority leader mitch mcconnell. sources are telling us they are making some progress, but here's the catch. if a deal is reached, there is no guarantee it's going to...
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>> two years ago obama and the democratic house and the democratic senate extended all the bush tax cuts for two years. >> and at that time the president said it would not happen again. >> but the president also did it because he said it would hurt the economy not to. now that he's safely in his job, that doesn't seem to be keeping him up at night that other people may lose jobs. >> are you afraid, mr. secretary, that if the u.s. were to really go over the u.s. fiscal cliff that the economy would go back into recession, unemployment would go from 7% to over 9%. that thousands of people would lose their jobs? >> no, wolf. i don't think there would be a permanent situation where we went over the fiscal cliff and nothing was done. my point is that if we went over the fiscal cliff and tax rates went up and spending cuts were substantial, that republicans would be under a huge pressure, even greater pressure than they are now to agree to a democratic initiative to cut middle class taxes and also restore the spending cuts that really do need to be restored. especially for the middle class and
>> two years ago obama and the democratic house and the democratic senate extended all the bush tax cuts for two years. >> and at that time the president said it would not happen again. >> but the president also did it because he said it would hurt the economy not to. now that he's safely in his job, that doesn't seem to be keeping him up at night that other people may lose jobs. >> are you afraid, mr. secretary, that if the u.s. were to really go over the u.s. fiscal...
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just one day after the christmas holiday, president obama is packing his bags, heading back to washington to try to forge a deal on the fiscal cliff, with just six days left to negotiate, a deal to avoid the catastrophic cliff, the president will leave hawaii tonight to try to work on a bargain between democrats and republicans. brianna keilar is traveling with the president in hawaii and joins us now. good morning, brianna. did the president cut his vacation short or was it planned all along? >> reporter: he did cut his vacation short from what was initially planned which was to go through the new year, so yes, he cut it short. i think we have a sense he might be heading back to d.c., carol, you'll recall when talks fell apart last week between house speaker john boehner and the president as the president departed for hawaii he talked to reporters in the briefing room and he said "see you next week" so i think we had a sense he would be coming back earlier than initially planned and it was just a matter of when, not if, and he'll be heading back tonight, that's local time so he'll be tra
just one day after the christmas holiday, president obama is packing his bags, heading back to washington to try to forge a deal on the fiscal cliff, with just six days left to negotiate, a deal to avoid the catastrophic cliff, the president will leave hawaii tonight to try to work on a bargain between democrats and republicans. brianna keilar is traveling with the president in hawaii and joins us now. good morning, brianna. did the president cut his vacation short or was it planned all along?...
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as of right now, president obama has gone back to his original demand that the bush era tax cuts be extended only for the first $250,000 in earnings. the white house is talking to senate democrats about what their proposal may look like. but as of yet, neither is in communication with congressional republicans. and as the white house hashes out details of the reid plan with senate democrats, it's at this moment unclear exactly what form it will take, what it will look like, other than to deal no doubt wheith tax cuts. details may not be released for a few days as they try to get republican support, yes, but also try to put pressure on speaker boehner by moving a vote in the senate closer to the new year. trying to say to house republicans and the speaker take up this bill that we may pass or take the blame for going over the fiscal cliff. joe. >> brianna keilar in hawaii there. there's a fight over what programs to keep funding when it comes to the fiscal cliff and it's not just between republicans and democrats. to explain that is cnn senior political analyst ron braunstein. you talk about
as of right now, president obama has gone back to his original demand that the bush era tax cuts be extended only for the first $250,000 in earnings. the white house is talking to senate democrats about what their proposal may look like. but as of yet, neither is in communication with congressional republicans. and as the white house hashes out details of the reid plan with senate democrats, it's at this moment unclear exactly what form it will take, what it will look like, other than to deal...
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>>> we told you last hour president obama is spending his last few hours in hawaii before returng early to washington. he's expected to arrive tomorrow, just five days ahead of the fiscal cliff, which includes an across the board tax hike that congress has tried but failed to undo. cnn's dana bash is with us from washington, our senior congressional correspondent. we spoke last hour. you told us that hour speaker john boehner was to convene this conference call to decide whether or not to call the house back into session. we know the senate is supposed to convene, but nothing can, of course, take place until the house is in session as well. do we know the results of that conference call? will boehner reconvene the house? >> reporter: i'm told by a source familiar with the call, which just happened within last hour, as you said, that no decision was made on the schedule or timing for the house. as we talked about an hour ago, the leaders in the house have promised the members that they won't be called back without 48 hours notice. so at this point it is wednesday afternoon, they won't ev
>>> we told you last hour president obama is spending his last few hours in hawaii before returng early to washington. he's expected to arrive tomorrow, just five days ahead of the fiscal cliff, which includes an across the board tax hike that congress has tried but failed to undo. cnn's dana bash is with us from washington, our senior congressional correspondent. we spoke last hour. you told us that hour speaker john boehner was to convene this conference call to decide whether or not...